


Forgive and Forgettable

by ProjectSNT



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Genocide, Papyrus just wants everyone to be happy, Sad Papyrus, Undertale Spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-21
Updated: 2016-03-21
Packaged: 2018-05-28 02:26:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6311437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ProjectSNT/pseuds/ProjectSNT
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the fallen child spares Papyrus after they've killed everyone else, Papyrus decides to forgive them and lead them back to the path of goodness.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. You Are Spared

**Author's Note:**

> Hiya! I don't usually write very much, but I just had this idea that I couldn't get out of my head and I had to record it somehow.
> 
> Gotta give thanks to my sister Saki for proofreading for me!

Golden light glimmered through the tall stained-glass windows of a long corridor. Towering stone pillars cast dark shadows over the many magic bones littering the marble floor. Among the magic mess were two figures: an armored skeleton and a small child. The skeleton was on his hands and knees, trembling and panting from pure exhaustion.

The human child took a few steps forward, their footsteps echoing loudly in the hall with a harsh clacking sound. In their small hand they gripped an old knife. Its metal blade gleamed in the light, ready to be covered in the dust of the monster kneeling before it. As the child stepped closer to their sparring opponent, they slowly raised the knife over their head, preparing to deal the final blow.

Hearing the footsteps drawing closer the skeleton limply wiped his eyesockets, wet with tears and sweat, so he could look up at the child to try and talk with them once more.

But all he could see were two glowing red eyes and his terrified reflection in a worn blade.

He wanted to gasp or shout or say anything, but he was too petrified to even breathe. Instead, he ducked his head back down, awaiting the oncoming strike.

He swore he could hear a familiar, tired voice...

_"Papyrus? Bro?"_

"Sans...I'm so sorry..."

 

_Cling! Clack clack..._

The sound of metal clashing against tile startled Papyrus, forcing him to halt his weeping and look back up again at his executioner. To his surprise, they had suddenly dropped their weapon, though their arm was still in the air, shaking violently.

And they too were weeping softly.

"H...human..."

Before the skeleton could say anything else, the child dropped to their knees and clung to him, their cries getting louder and more desperate. Papyrus was taken aback by the sudden humanity his opponent was showing, but he too was desperate for comfort, and he shakily embraced them. The child's wailing echoed through the corridor, reminding the two how alone they truly were now.

Eventually, the human's cries began to soften again as they let out the rest of their grief. Papyrus carefully let his grip on them loosen, and he looked into their teary eyes with concern.

"Human... Have you...finally realized?"

The sniffling child only responded with a nod.

The skeleton couldn't help but give them a goofy grin. "Human, you-...you did it! You didn't do a violence! You finally see that you can still do good!" He jumped to his feet, scooping the child up with him to hug them once more. He couldn't contain his excitement. "This is amazing! I knew you could do it, human! Oh, wait until I tell every-...one."

The eerie silence of the corridor once again reminded Papyrus of the weight of the situation. Most--if not everyone he ever knew--were either in hiding or...

He shook his skull in dismissal. "N-Nevermind that. It doesn't matter now. Human, I-...I'm still so very proud of you. I'm glad you finally understand."

The human child gave their skeleton friend a worried, teary-eyed look.

"No no! Do not fret, human! I, The Great Papyrus, will continue to help you on the path of goodness! Yes, everyone is pretty much gone...b-but they're not all gone! Once they feel safe enough to return they'll see that you've changed your ways! And I'll be there to help them understand."

He hoisted the small child onto his back. "You still have some ways to go. Still, I believe in you! You can do a little better, even if you don't think so. I promise."

Exhausted from the battle, as well as the emotional breakdown, the child slumped against Papyrus's skull. They fought to stay awake but eventually lost to their fatigue.

Papyrus gave them a soft, "Nyeh heh heh..." before adjusting them to a more comfortable piggyback position. "Rest easy, human. You've been through so much today. It's no wonder you're exhausted..."

His bulky boot-steps rang through the empty hall as he made his way out. The weight of the situation he had put himself in rested heavily on his soul. Could he really teach this murderous child to be good again, let alone truly forgive them for everything they'd done? And what of the others? Would they be as accepting when they eventually returned? These worries swam through his skull like pieces of garbage being swept away by the waters of Waterfall.

Despite everything on his mind, he pushed himself to stay determined. No matter the outcome, he still had a job to do.

He was going to make things right again.


	2. Echoing Petals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Papyrus and the fallen human explore Waterfall and come across an old friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, thanks to my sister for proofreading for me!
> 
> Fun fact: This was the first chapter I actually properly wrote. I jotted down the actual first chapter on my phone at work.

"Human, where are you taking me?"

The first night alone with the human went surprisingly well, though Papyrus never had any doubts. They slept peacefully on the couch in the living room, and not once did they get up to cause any sort of mischief. His pride in the child grew stronger the more they proved themselves to him.

Still, it was hard for him to accept that they were the only ones around. His hometown of Snowdin had been completely abandoned when the chaos first started, and he wasn't used to the silence that had fallen along with the snow. At times he would spot something moving in the thick snowfall, only to see that it was merely his wild imagination playing tricks on him.

But right now, the kid had their hand clamped tightly around his, and they were leading him through the dark, damp caverns of Waterfall. Papyrus didn't mind the dark. In fact, it was a welcome change from all the white, silent snow. At least here, the sound of rushing water falling through the chasms made this place seem more alive...

Perhaps that wasn't the best word to use. 

Papyrus shook off the sudden dark thoughts he was having and turned his attention to his small human friend, who was quite eager to show him something. It was clear they knew where they were going. It made the skeleton wonder how they knew the Underground so well after only walking through it once...

Eventually, they came across a series of small ponds with little islands rising up from the glowing waters. Wooden docks filled in the gaps between the islands, creating a path for anyone to use. Among the islands grew various large, blue flowers. The child looked up to the skeleton and pointed to one of them.

"Oh! Echo flowers!" Papyrus told them, looking eager to teach. "You know about them, right? If you talk to an echo flower, it will repeat what you said to it right back at you! They're a lot of fun to play with. Here! Watch!"

The skeleton scooped up the human and set them on his armored shoulders as he made his way toward one of the echo flowers. He cleared his throat and took a deep breath.

"Hello there!"

"Hello there!" the plant answered, mocking Papyrus's boisterous tone. A few other flowers nearby also echoed back.

The human child began to giggle, and Papyrus laughed proudly along with them. "These flowers are so polite, don't you think?"

They pointed to another one of the plants across the room, and Papyrus made his way over to it and asked it, "How are you today?"

The bloom spoke back, asking the same question. This made the skeleton chuckle and he responded, "I'm doing fine! Thank you!"

A few nearby flowers picked up his answer and instantly began repeating it. Soon enough the chatter from the blue blossoms filled the empty silence with idle conversation. It was as if the caverns were suddenly filled with monsters eager to make friends with one another. This eruption of conversation made both the lanky skeleton and the human child burst out laughing, and soon enough their laughter became contagious to their new bud buddies. 

All of these friendly voices filled Papyrus with joy. For once, he didn't feel so alone...

The young human knocked on his skull to get his attention, then pointed to a flower that hadn't picked up their laughter. Papyrus quickly rushed over to it, preparing to make it say something friendly.

But strangely enough it was already echoing something of its own. 

Soft sobbing.

The skeleton froze in place. The crying certainly wasn't his, nor was it his friend's. And this echo was still rather fresh, for its sound had yet to start to fade. This could only mean one thing.

"Human...I think someone else is here." Papyrus told them with a hushed tone. He didn't want to disturb the sound.

The child nodded, looking thoughtful. Papyrus wasn't too sure, but they looked as if they knew who made this sad sound. Once the human was done pondering, they huffed and pointed to the path in front of them that would lead them away from the ponds and into a dark corridor.

"You want to move forward to see if we can find them?" The skeleton asked. "Good idea, human. Maybe if we find them, we can convince them that you're good, and then we'll have a new friend to hang out with!"

The child nodded excitedly, pointing forward again.

"Very well. Onward towards friendship!" Papyrus bellowed, charging forward into the darkness. The kid giggled, clinging to his skull to keep themselves from bouncing off his shoulders.

* * *

 

Deeper into the depths of Waterfall they traveled. Past the open path surrounded by still waters, past the corridor that housed a lone piano, and into the damp caves. As they trekked, the sound of rain grew louder and louder. Soon enough, the two friends came upon another long, dark path, where water slipped through the cracks in the ceiling like soft rainfall. Something nearby soon caught their attention.

It was a statue near the wall of one of the caves, with a soft light shining down on it like a spotlight. The statue seemed to be of a monster sitting down and hunched over. Its horns were wet from the water dripping down from the ceiling, and occasionally a few raindrops would slip down its face as if tears were dripping from its long-faded eyes.

The human signaled for their skeleton friend to put them down, and he nodded and carefully pulled them off of his shoulders and set them on their feet. The child walked up to the statue, placing their small hands on one of its crossed legs.

"What a strange statue," Papyrus spoke up, meeting up with the child so he too could get a good look at their discovery. "It looks somewhat familiar, don't you think?"  
They huffed in agreement, then looked around the caves as if they were searching for something. Soon enough they spotted a convenient bucket of umbrellas nearby, and they signaled for Papyrus to investigate.

"Oh! Excellent idea, human!" Papyrus exclaimed, rushing over to grab an umbrella for them. "You should stay dry. Otherwise you might get the sniffles. And then I'd have to make you a batch of my special get-well-soon spaghetti!"

The kid giggled and shook their head. While avoiding having to eat Papyrus's cooking sounded great, that wasn't why they needed the umbrella. They rushed back to the statue, almost slipping on the wet rocky floors in the process, and they placed the open umbrella in the hands of the statue so that it could shield its horns from the downpour.

And then a soft tune began to play from inside the statue's chest. The kind gesture had activated a music box hidden within the stone. The soft chimes rang through the caves, playing a bittersweet, long-forgotten melody.

Papyrus let out a soft gasp as he caught up with the human. He wanted to ask them how they knew about the music box, but he didn't want to interrupt the beautiful lullaby. The child climbed into the statue's lap, shielding themselves from the drizzle, and they closed their eyes to enjoy the soft chimes breaking through the quiet of the caves. Papyrus soon joined them, opting to sit at the statue's feet. He didn't mind getting wet.

For the first time in a very long time...their world was at peace.

But soon, another sound broke through the rain. A familiar sound.

Crying...

Immediately, Papyrus stood up and looked around frantically. The weeping had reminded him how desperate he was to see another face. "Hello? Is someone there? Please do not be afraid."

He paused to try and listen for the crying. It was definitely nearby. He signaled his human friend to stay put before rushing towards the voice. His boots splashed through the shallow puddles, the sloshing echoing throughout the caves.

"Hello? Hello!? If you can hear me, friend, please say something! I, the Great Papyrus, will not hurt you!"

The sobbing came to a soft halt. "P...Papyrus?"

Soon enough, the skeleton came across the source of the new sound. It was a tiny, yellow flower.

"...Flowey?" Papyrus gasped. "Y...you're still here?"

The bud turned to him, ruffling his petals in shock. "Papyrus? You're still alive? B-but I thought-...the human! I thought they were going to-"

"They didn't! E-everything is okay now!" Papyrus fell to his knees so he could better talk to his old flower friend. "They stopped right before they were about to kill me. A-and they...they were so sorry. They still are. And I'm helping them be good again!"

His banter confused the blossom child. "I...don’t understand."

"They're good now! They really are! And I'm helping them be good! Flowey, they haven't done anything bad for a whole day now!" The more the skeleton talked about the human, the more his silly smile grew. "They're trying so hard to be good again. And I knew they had the potential to be good all along."

Just as he was about to continue his proud ramblings, tiny footsteps behind them caught the skeleton's attention. He turned to see that the child had followed him. Sighing, Papyrus firmly told them "Human, I told you to stay put."

"Y-you!" the sprout shrieked, ducking behind Papyrus. "P-please don't hurt me! I-I didn't mean anything I said! I just-"

The small human calmly walked over to the cowering plant, then got down on their knees and embraced them. Flowey winced in preparation for any sort of attack or act of violence...but to his surprise it never came. The human only continued to give him this careful embrace.

"I don't...understand."

"See Flowey? The human is really trying to be good!" the giddy skeleton proclaimed, practically jogging in place.

Flowey continued to look confused, but soon enough his expression softened in acceptance. "You're a weird kid, you know that?" he murmured, getting a soft giggle from the child in response.

"Oh, I'm so happy!" Papyrus interrupted, unable to contain his excitement. "Everyone's getting along! Soon enough, everything will be peaceful again!"

"Uh yeah. Sure, Papyrus." Flowey reassured the skeleton calmly. He cleared his throat and continued "Hey, do you think the kid and I could have some privacy? I wanna talk to them about something."

Papyrus gave the child a concerned look, but after getting a firm nod from them he took a deep breath and regained his goofy grin. "Sure thing! I'll let you two catch up! I'll just be over here."

Once the sound of his boots spattering in the puddles were out of earshot, Flowey turned back to the human and gave them a tired look. "So...you're really going through with this? After all the chaos you caused, you're playing nice now? What's your deal, kid?"

They sat down with their legs crossed, giving their flower ally a nervous, almost distant look.

"So...what? You're just done killing? For now at least?" He shook his petals, chuckling to himself. "Sometimes I don't understand why you do the things you do. And here I thought you were going to-"

The human suddenly turned to him, looking scared. Their wavering eyes seemed to be pleading with him to stop.

Flowey was taken aback by the sudden humanity the kid was showing. "Er...okay okay. I won't talk about that." He took a deep breath, letting the sound of rainfall fill the silence between them.

It didn't take long for Flowey to continue his interrogation, however.

"So...if you really are sorry about murdering everyone...why haven't you reset to bring everyone back?"

The child froze as if they were caught in the act of a horrible crime.

Flowey instantly knew that he had plucked a nerve with them. "Yeah. Why waste time here? You can easily reset this world and bring everyone you killed back to life. So what's the holdup?"

No response from them. They continued to stay still.

A nasty grin spread across the aster's face. "Wait. I know. You haven't reset this world because it's different! You wanna see how far this all goes, dont'cha?" He let a creepy chortle escape from his lips. "Golly. You're pretty messed up."

He let out another giggle. "But I don't mind. Really. In fact, I completely understand. This is exciting for me too." He looked up, letting a few raindrops hit his cheeks. "How many times have you reset this world? Ten? Twenty? Fifty? How did you even find a way to keep Papyrus alive?" He shook off the excess water and turned to the child, who was looking lost in thought. "I'm pretty impressed, kid. You've managed to create a world neither of us have ever seen."

They sighed, letting themselves calm down.

"So..." the flower continued, narrowing his gaze, "What do you think is gonna happen when everyone eventually comes back? Papyrus sure has high hopes that things are going to instantly get better, but you and I both know that's not going to happen. Not after all the damage you've done."

After not getting a solid response from the human child, Flowey merely shrugged it off and sighed. "Well, all we can do is wait and see, I guess. But that's the fun part, isn't it? Seeing what happens next?"

Flowey turned around to see if he could spot their skeleton pal. He heightened his volume just a bit as he told the human, "Well, we better not keep Papyrus waiting too long. You and I both know how anxious he gets when he's waiting."

"I'm fine, you two!" the skeleton responded, revealing his hiding place to be just around the corner.

With a friendly giggle, Flowey told him "We're done, Papyrus! Thanks for giving us some space."

Immediately, Papyrus darted towards them, his bones rattling in excitement. "Oh of course! Anything for my two best friends!" He scooped up and cradled the human before continuing, "Now why don't we get out of these damp caverns and head back to my place? I'll prepare some nice hot spaghetti to warm us up!"

Before the child could refuse Papyrus's offer, they let out a yawn and slumped against his armored chest. Their adventure had left them exhausted, physically and emotionally.

Papyrus let out a soft "Nyeh heh heh..." before murmuring, "Already tuckered out. You're almost as sleepy as-"

He froze, suddenly realizing the weight he had been carrying all this time. He had almost forgotten who had been missing since the chaos began. His grip on the young human tightened as if he was fighting some kind of violent urge.

"...Papyrus?"

The tiny voice managed to snap him out of his stupor. Flowey was looking up at him, giving him a concerned look. "You okay?"

"I-..." Papyrus cleared his throat, then regained his typical, toothy smile. "I'm alright. It's just...it's a difficult time, you know?"

"Of course, Papyrus. This is a pretty stressful situation all around." Flowey flashed him a somewhat unsettling grin. "We're all harboring some extra turmoil deep inside. And you probably have the worst of it. I mean...you're befriending your brother's killer and even trying to protect them. It's gotta be pretty tough."

His bones began to shake. "I'd rather not think about that, Flowey. I just want to look forward, a-and not dwell on the past." He took a deep breath to calm himself down. "I'm going to work hard to make things normal again. The last thing I want is more violence, and...I believe peace is what Sans would have wanted."

"Well...if you say so," the bud responded, looking a bit confused.

The skeleton slowly regained his confidence once more, and he struck a valiant pose, still being careful about the child he was cradling. "I, The Great Papyrus, can do anything if I set my mind to it! I'll find a way to make everyone happy! And I'll be the coolest, most bestest friend the Underground has ever seen!"

The child let out another yawn.

"Ah, but before that we should get home and rest." Papyrus readjusted the small human in his arms so they were in a more comfortable snoozing position. "Let's go, shall we?"


	3. You Have 1 New Message

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Papyrus surfs the net.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again to my sister Saki for proofreading. Love you!

The clacking of an old keyboard and a few clicks of a mouse had disturbed the human child's deep slumber. They found themselves in a familiar car-shaped bed surrounded by maroon walls. Their skeleton friend was sitting at an old computer, scrolling through what looked like a social networking website.

They turned to the kid, noticing that they had just woken up. "Hello human! Did you have a good rest? You've been asleep for a few hours now."

The child yawned and stretched before climbing out of the car bed and shuffling over to Papyrus. Curiously, they pointed to the computer.

"Incredible, isn't it?" Papyrus asked, picking up his small friend and sitting them in his bony lap. "Even with everyone gone, the Undernet is still up and running! I'm most likely the only person actually using it, but it's still interesting to see that it still works."

Squinting a bit, the human looked closer. In the flood of Papyrus's many old posts they could sift out a few casual updates from strangers, all from yesterday, before they all began to flee. They, unfortunately, even recognized a few of them all too well. To think that life was normal just hours before...

Papyrus took notice of their human pal's distress. "Hey...don't fret, human. Remember, a lot of the Underground's residents went into hiding. Soon enough, they'll be back."

His optimism was nice, but there was still a cloud of uncertain gloom looming over the both of them.

The skeleton clicked his teeth a bit nervously. He had hoped that his optimism would help the child feel better, but from the looks of it it wasn't working. Immediately, he turned his attention back to the computer screen. "You know, I almost want to make a status update for today. It's probably wishful thinking, but...perhaps there's an off chance that someone that's in hiding will see it, and then they'll see that it's safe to come out!" 

He beamed down at the young human. The more he thought about the idea, the more it excited him. 

"Then they can lead everyone out, and then with my amazing social skills, I, the Great Papyrus, will show everyone that my human friend is good! And then everything will be happy again!"

The child gave him a soft giggle. Now his optimism was getting contagious.

"There's that smile I was looking for!" the skeleton tittered, scruffing the human's brown mane. "Shall we, then?"

Before they could answer him, a certain flower's words echoed in the back of their mind.

"What do you think is gonna happen when everyone eventually comes back? Papyrus sure has high hopes that things are going to instantly get better, but you and I both know that's not going to happen."

His words were true. Nobody was going to be as accepting of their crimes as Papyrus. Who knew what their reactions would be when they found that the monster killer was still alive?

The human's sudden hesitation worried Papyrus. It was obvious something was deeply troubling them. "Human...are you worried that they won't understand?"

Solemnly, they nodded.

He offered them a goofy grin. "It'll be alright, human! The Great Papyrus is excellent with persuasion! It worked with you, didn't it?"

The skeleton made a very good point.

"Besides, we don't know if this will actually work, anyway. It's mostly wishful thinking." He pat his friend's head once more, then moved his phalanges to the keyboard. "Now, what should I type? It has to be subtle. We can't spoil the surprise just yet."

He tapped his foot, trying to think of what to say. Something simple and witty? No, that wouldn't be very tasteful in this situation. A long-winded post about how he was fine and that he hoped to see everyone again? Perhaps not. That kind of talk was more suited for a letter than a status update.

Oh! Of course!

His gloved fingers moved quickly, yet precisely as he typed his status for the day.

"I'm still here."

Short, sweet, and to the point. Simple enough to possibly catch someone's attention. It was perfect.

"And...click! Posted!" The skeleton grinned from nonexistent ear to ear, pleased with his work. "That wasn't so hard."

The human child looked up at him and gave him a meek smile.

He scooped up the kid into a bony bear hug. "Say, now that you're awake how about we meet Flowey outside and go look for some food? I'm running a little low on ingredients for my famous spaghetti, so for the time being we have to make due with what we can find on our own." He got up from his chair, hoisting the child onto his shoulders.

But before he could make his way to the door, a small noise caught his attention.

_Ping!_

It couldn't be. It sounded like it came from the worn speakers of his computer. Puzzled, the skeleton turned around to quickly glance at the monitor.

It was Undernet. He had just received an instant message from someone.

Without hesitation, he set his young friend back down and returned to his squeaky computer chair. This couldn't be happening. Someone was actually messaging him? And so soon? What was he supposed to say?

He took a deep breath and opened up the message.

_hey CoolSkeleton95. i hope this isn't too weird. i was just messaging to see if that status you made was actually real. sorry. i just need some reassurance that i'm not being delusional._

The message was from Alphys, the king's Royal Scientist. Despite her official title, Papyrus only knew her from her online profile. She would always blog about these weird human cartoons, and she would sometimes post humorous pictures of her food and belongings.

Tears began to well up in his eye sockets. He was so relieved to finally hear from someone in hiding. He wiped his eyes with his gloved wrist and began typing furiously.

_Yes Alphys! I really am here!_

He instantly got a response.

_oh my gosh! i can't believe this! where are you!?!?_

_I'm currently in my house in Snowdin! It's very quiet here._

_i can't imagine. do you need me to come get you?_

_Oh you don't need to come get me! Everything is fine now!_

_but what about the human? are they still around? did they try to hurt you?_

He glanced at his human friend, who was currently flipping through one of his books about puzzle construction.

_The human will not harm anyone anymore._

For once, there was a pause before the next message.

_wow. i had no idea you had it in you. no offense CoolSkeleton95, but you seemed pretty goofy in all your posts._

Papyrus couldn't help but feel a little offended, but he merely laughed it off.

_No to worry! I understand. Not everyone can see how truly great I am at first glance!_

_lol i can see that now._

Papyrus wasn't sure how to continue the conversation. Luckily, Alphys did the work for him.

_so if what you're saying is true, does that mean it's safe for everyone to come out?_

A gasp escaped from the skeleton's jaw. Was he going to see everyone sooner than he expected?

_ABSOLUTELY!_

_oh my gosh! everyone is gonna flip! they'll be so happy to get out of here and get back to their homes._

Papyrus was practically bouncing in his seat.

_When do you think you'll be coming out?_

_maybe in a day or so. we have to mentally prepare ourselves._

_Ah yes! That's understandable. It's been pretty hectic._

_that's one way to put it..._

He wasn't sure how to respond to that. He wanted to show some reassurance, but he felt that just typing it wouldn't be the same as offering a kind hug or a friendly smile.

Another ping from the website broke his train of thought.

_by the way, i'm not sure if i even know your real name. would it be okay if i asked what it was?_

The skeleton let himself relax.

_Oh that's right! You only know me as my secret online persona! I suppose I can trust you with this information, given the situation._   
_lol thanks. so what is it?_

_You may know me as the dashingly handsome CoolSkeleton95, but in reality I'm actually The Great Papyrus! Future member of the Royal Guard!_

Another slight pause until the next message.

_oh i know who you are now! you used to work with undyne._

The familiar name shot through Papyrus's heart like a spear. It was the name of someone he knew he wouldn't be able to see anymore. Memories began to replay in the back of his mind. Training, cooking, yelling...

For once, he wished he could get one of his teacher's famous noogies again.

A slight tug on his cape turned his attention away momentarily. He almost jumped out of his chair when he saw the child standing there.

They gave Papyrus an uneasy look, gripping the corner of his tattered cape for some kind of comfort.

The jittery skeleton sighed and gave the tiny human a gentle pat on the head. "I'm alright, human. I'm just...a little overexcited, is all. Excitement can make you jumpy."

They nodded, then gave their stomach a pat. Soon after, their stomach responded with a low growl.

Oh right. He had completely forgotten.

Quickly, he began to type to his friend again.

_Yes, that's right! Oh, I'm sorry but I have to go._

_oh okay. that's fine. if you want, i can keep you updated on everyone here._

_That'd be great! Thank you!_

_and if you need to talk or something, i'm always online. even during the apocalypse._

_I'll remember that, Alphys! Okay, got to go!_

And with that, he stood up from his chair and scooped up the kid once more. "Terribly sorry about that, human. I got a little bit distracted. But guess what! I got in touch with the Royal Scientist: Dr. Alphys! She says everyone that evacuated will be coming back soon! Isn't that wonderful!"

His human friend didn't seem as excited as he was.

"Are you still nervous?" He made extra care to walk down the steps gently, so his friend wouldn't be jostled around too much. "It'll be okay. I'm going to make sure everyone understands. It may take some persuasion, but they'll see soon enough. Trust me. If I can believe in you, then so can everyone else!"

They only responded with a sad smile. His words were reassuring, but it didn't get rid of the anxious knot in their stomach.

"Let's just get you something to eat. I can't imagine how it must feel to have a stomach. Why does it make that strange noise when you're hungry anyway?"


End file.
